Fostering Crisis in Canada
Why is there a crisis of foster families in Nova Scotia
According to the Canada Child Welfare Research Portal, the number of children and youth across Canada who are living in out-of-home care at any given point is over 62,000. Considering that around 5% of the total Canadian population are Muslim, more than 3,000 of these children who are in government care may be from Muslim origin. Application of the same concept to Nova Scotian statistics (1) indicates that out of the 1000 children currently out of home care in this province, around 49 of these children are of Muslim origin.
What is the issue?
There is a general shortage of foster families in Nova Scotia [630 foster families for 1000 children in care (2); more importantly none of these families are Muslim. This means that the Muslim children under government care in Nova Scotia are being looked after by families of other faiths. It is very difficult for these children to remain connected with their faith and follow the teachings of Islam.
What does this mean?
Research has shown children who are placed in out-of-home care under families who have the same cultural identity, have significantly better mental health resilience, social well-being, and coping skills, and attain higher education levels than those placed under families with a different cultural background (3,4). Consider the double impact of cultural and religious differences on a Muslim child who is placed under the care of a non-Muslim family. The child may no longer be able to eat halal foods, may be exposed to haram drinks and they will not be encouraged to pray or refrain from haram activities. The child may be unaware when the month of Ramadan approaches and would be unable/ not encouraged to fast. Over time, the child may also lose sight of the core beliefs of Islam, and stray away from its values and teachings.
Why is there a crisis of foster families in Nova Scotia?
There are many reasons that have led to the foster crisis in Canada. There is a large strain on the system due to an increase of Muslim children who require foster care and there not being enough Muslim families in NS. Additionally, the lack of awareness plays a large role as many people are not aware of the ongoing needs for foster families as well as the process of applying to become a foster parent/family.
What are the different categories of foster care?
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مقدمي الرعاية بدوام كامل
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مقدمي الرعاية في حالات الطوارئ
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Part Time foster caregivers
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Specialized foster caregivers
What can you do?
Every Muslim child is the responsibility of all of us. You can do a lot even if you are not registered as a foster parent and/or alternative caregiver or you are unable to adopt a child. These are just some of the ways anyone can help in:
- Register to foster a child if you can.
- Consider becoming a “next of kin” for the option of Alternative Family Care in case a child you know in the community is taken into out-of-home care.
- Consider adoption, if you have the means and capacity
- Consider becoming a volunteer with the MFA-NS
- Raise awareness within your circle of friends for others to be involved in any of the above
